‘Sexual harassment’ Is it a set-up for Makerere?

Edward Kisuze the accused (r) standing next to his accuser during her graduation

The rate at which Makerere University lecturers are accused of sexual harassment points to a possibly deliberate setup to either taint the reputation of one of Africa’s leading universities or, to pull down top managers at both the University and ministerial levels.

Social media was this week awash with images allegedly of Mr Edward Kisuze, the senior administrative assistant in the Academic Registrar’s department, licking the genital area of a woman identified as Njoroge Rachael Njeri who claims, the administrator sexually harassed her as she went to certify her academic transcripts.

According to media reports, Ms Njeri stated in a statement recorded at the Wandegeya police station that she took the circulating picture herself with the intention of having concrete evidence to pin Kisuze for violating her rights by forcing her into a sexual act.

“He grabbed my boobs and started licking them as he lamented how much he loved me. I tried to resist his actions but he was stronger than me,” she said in the statement.

I read a lot of mismatches and falsehoods in Ms Njeri’s remarks and this should be an eye opener for the university to know that someone could be up against them.

If we are to go by the picture on social media, it is clear that the two parties were lovers whose relationship perhaps went sour, or someone was using her to taint the image of university’s member of staff or even the university itself.

How can someone you have never had any intimate relationship with close and lock the door in your presence, walk back to you, grab your boobs begin licking them one at a time and you remain calm? How can your stare at him and watch, without any resistance or objection? Not even an alarm! A woman in her mid twenties, moreover a graduate, can’t stand to be sexually molested from a public place and remains silent, no!

The Senate building is not isolated and it was still early, minutes to 5:00 pm as she claims. Any simple alarm would have availed her help if she needed it. I wonder why she waited for Kisuze to continue down her thighs starting with removing the trouser she was putting on, before accessing her blue underwear on which his mouth is seen locked in the picture.

Njoroge further claims that Kisuze threw her on to files before rushing into her genitals for pleasure before she took the photo.

“He also grabbed me and threw me on the file cabinets at the corner where my head was hurt by files and he started kissing my thighs and he told me that he had to kiss my vagina,” she added.

This is another clear indicator that there was no forced oral sex here but instead a consensual one. There are baskets of whose answers investigators have to find.

It beats my understanding when Njeri claims that there was a scuffle between the two yet in the photo she appears so relaxed and focused on taking a clear picture. Kisuze appears to be doing what he knows best in a comfortable mood with his hands calmly wrapped on the bums of a standing curvy Njoroge.

The act of having sex in a public office must be condemned, but I find no problem with any two consenting individuals having sex in privacy. In fact, it makes no sense for anyone to accuse Kisuze of sexual harassment. Was the woman really sexually harassed? Not at all, she could have enticed his long-time lover into sex, with intentions of filming him.

Not an isolated incident

A couple of months ago, Dr Swizen Kyomuhendo was suspended by the university over cases of sexual harassment and this is what must be investigated.

Sex between lecturers and mature students shouldn’t cause any alarm as long as the two parties agree and deem it fit to sexually appease each other. This happens world over. What worries is why students keep severally having sex with lecturers and again turn to the media. Isn’t this a well calculated move aimed at putting some administrators down, or to degrade the celebrated university?

Jumping on to throwing blames against lecturers at the expense of the students is not only suicidal but, also a hindrance to thorough and independent investigations.